Phase 1 of Mason City bike trail system completed

MASON CITY, Iowa - The first phase in Mason City's bike trail system is officially complete.

The city held a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday morning on the Monroe Avenue (Route 4) trail, marking the completion of the initial phase of the city's trail system, and a railroad crossing at the intersection with 15th Street Southwest linking the two already completed segments of Route 4.

Jeff Miller is a volunteer with the Active Living and Transportation Commission, one of a handful of groups that made the trail system possible. He says that bridging the gap between the two trail segments with the new crossing will help tremendously for those who are trying to stay active...and safe.

"It really does a great job of connecting the Rolling Acres neighborhood, BeJe Clark, folks that are trying to use active transportation to get to the YMCA. And it gets them off the roadway where it was a curbed road, and it's just not really safe to be walking or riding a bike."

Miller adds that the commission is working with the city on future trails.

"More connections, more refinements. We'll keep working with the city when we see opportunities. We also have the Highline Trail coming in the next year or two. Really excited about that one."

The current bikeway system has 11 trails. The Highline Trail is planned to be located along a former railroad bed from 19th Street to the Lime Creek Nature Center.